Headstone cover



April 1968 J. DIAMOND ETAL I 3,378,942

HEADSTONE COVER Filed Feb. 14, 1966 FIGS 34 "Will u" INVENTORS JAMES DIAM FICA 20 8 I2 HARVEY W. BRICK I hm; ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,378,942 HEADSTONE COVER James Diamond, 2581 Andover Road, Trenton, Mich. 48183, and Harvey W. Brick, 21487 Astor Court, Grosse Ile, Mich. 48138 Filed Feb. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 527,218 2 Claims. (Cl. 124.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A unitary molded plastic enclosure for a concrete cometary grave base having a central recessed portion for receiving a marker tablet therein such that the enclosure and tablet together form a mold for the base. The recessed portion of the enclosure is apertured wherein stud means, extending from the tablet through the aperture, are embedded in the poured concrete when poured so that the enclosure is retained on the base by the overlying tablet.

The present invention relates to horizontal markers for graves and more specifically to a protective and ornamental cover for such markers.

Horizontal gravestones have a monumental plate or tablet secured thereon have come to be widely used in cemeteries in recent years. Conventional horizontal gravestones comprise a suitable base or block usually formed of concrete which is set into the earth. The base usually has an upper fiat surface which extends somewhat above the level of the surrounding earth or grass. A bronze marker plate or tablet is secured to the upper surface of the base by means of a plurality of studs or T-bolts which extend from the under side of the tablet with the head end of the bolts imbedded in the base at the time it is cast. The top surface of the plate has the necessary indicia cast or molded on its face.

A problem with conventional horizontal grave markers is that they are subject to deterioration and disfiguration due to exposure to the elements. The outer surface of the base of these types of markers after exposure to rain and sprinkling water tends to corrode. Furthermore the base tends to become disfigured from exposure to weather, soil acids and time.

The present invention obviates the problems experienced with conventional horizontal markers in addition to providing some special additional advantages. A preferred headstone marker embodying the present invention comprises an enclosure or shell closely fitting the sides and top surfaces of a substantially fiat base member. Preferably the enclosure is formed of a molded weather resistant plastic or glass fibers bonded with a suitable resin to produce a rigid composition characterized by a resistance to chemical action. The base member is preferably formed of a cementitious substance such as concrete cast into a suitable configuration having an upper horizontal surface. The upper surface of the base and enclosure have a central recessed portion having a contour substantially complementarily shaped to the contour of the desired tablet. The tablet is seated in the recessed portion and has depending lugs or T-bolts having ends that extend through openings in the enclosure and are imbedded in the base. The enclosure and base are formed with a plurality of horizontal V-shaped grooves in the upper surface extending from the recessed portion to the outer perimeter of the enclosure. The grooves provide drainage for water.

The preferred headstone or marker cover therefore provides an improved protective covering for horizontal markers that is formed of modern weather-resistant plastic materials. The improved plastic cover can be readily provided in any attractive color such as white to assist in sharply setting off the marker plate or tablet. In addition, by disposing the marker plate so that it overlaps the opening in the cover and is securely anchored to the base, water cannot accumulate between the plate and the base. The drain grooves cooperate with the above construction to prevent the disintegration of the base by the freezing of water retained in crevices therein.

The preferred cover provides an additional advantage in the construction of the headstone. The tablet or plate is inverted so that the T-bolts project upwardly. The cover is then inverted and placed over the plate so that the T-bolts extend through the apertures in the cover. The plate and cover thereby provide a mold for the base. Preferably, concrete is poured in the mold and then cured for a suitable length of time. The ends of the T-bolts are embedded in the concrete when it is poured, and thereby provide a rigid anchor for the tablet. The weight of the concrete over the cover and plate assist in providing a tight seal between the plate and the cover. After casting, the completed headstone is turned right side up and taken to the cemetery where it is set into a pit in the earth formed to permit the upper surface of the cover to extend above the surface of the ground so that the drain grooves are unobstructed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a weather-resistant cover for horizontal gravestones formed of a modern chemical resistant material.

It is another object of the present invention to improve the appearance of horizontal grave markers by providing a cover for the base of such markers that sharply sets off the tablet anchored thereto.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means for preventing the accumulation of water between the plate and the base by providing a tightly fitting cover for the base over which the tablet is seated, and including apertures in the cover through which the tablet anchor bolts extend downwardly and are imbedded in the base.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof. The description makes reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a headstone cover constructed in accordance with the present invention and set in the ground;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view as seen from line 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view of the T-bolt fastening means;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the cover illustrated in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of a preferred cover.

Now referring to the drawings, FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate a preferred grave marker comprising a base 10, a close fitting unitary shell or cover 12 embracing the sides and upper surface of the base, and a recess 14 formed in the upper surface of the base 10 and cover 12 to seat a tablet or plate 16 having flat upper and lower surfaces.

The preferred cover 12 has generally a rectangular shape and is formed with four fiat sides 18 having a slight inward inclination and terminating upwardly at a flat, horizontal perimetric surface 20. The flat surface 20 extends inwardly to terminate at 14 downwardly and slightly inwardly inclined sides 22 to define the recessed portion 14. The recess defined by the sides 22 is preferably contoured to a slightly larger peripheral shape than the tablet 16. A peripheral flat, horizontal ledge 24 extends inwardly from the lower edges of the sides 22 and defines a cover opening 26 as can best be seen in FIGURE 4. The depth of the recess 14 is formed so that the upper surface of the tablet 16 is substantially flush with the surfaces 20. The ledge 24 extends inwardly sufi'iciently so that when the tablet 16 is seated thereon, the opening 26 is completely covered.

The cover 12 is preferably molded from a weatherresistant plastic composition such as glass fibers bonded with a suitable resin to produce a rigid cover characterized by a resistance to chemical action.

The base 10 is preferably formed of concrete and has a generally flat lower surface 28 and sides and an upper surface complementarily shaped to the inner surface of the cover 12. The base 10 extends upwardly through the opening to terminate with an upper surface flush with the upper surface of the ledge 24. It can therefore be seen that the tablet 16 which is usually formed from a bronze casting seats on the ledge 24 and the base 10. Referring to FIGURE 3, the tablet 16 is tightly anchored to the base 10 and cover 12 by a plurality of T-bolts 30 extending from the underside of the tablet 16 through the opening 26 and set in the base 10 at the time it is cast.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, a plurality of substantially V-shaped grooves 32 are formed in the cover 12 and extend preferably from the corners of the recessed portion 14 horizontally and outwardly to the peripheral edge of the cover 12. The grooves 32 provide drainage channels for water to flow from the recess 14 to the earth.

FIGURE illustrates an alternate embodiment of a preferred cover 34 having a shape substantially identical to the aforementioned cover 12, and including a flat recessed surface 36 but instead of the opening 26, a plurality of apertures 38 are provided in the recessed surface 36 adapted to permit T-bolts 30 to extend therethrough. Bronze tablets are standardized in size and are usually provided by the manufacturer with the T-bolts, usually 4 to 6 in number, disposed at a standardized spacing. It can therefore be seen that in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 5, the apertures 38 are spaced to conform with the standardized spacing of the T-bolts. It is further apparent that the recessed surface 36 can be provided with a plurality of knockouts spaced to accommodate T-bolt spacings of different manufacturers with the appropriate apertures formed when the tablet is formed to the cover and the base.

Now referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIG- URES 1 and 2, for purposes of description, the several parts are joined together by inverting the tablet 16 so that the T-bolts 30 project upwardly, inverting the cover 12 and disposing it over the tablet 16 so that the tablet is located within the recess 14 and the ledge 24 bears against the upper surface of the inverted tablet 16. Concrete is then poured into the mold formed by the cover 12 and tablet 16 and cured for a time sufiicient to set and form the base 10. It is apparent that when the concrete is poured, the projecting T-bolts are imbedded therein so that when the base has assumed a solid state, the tablet 16 is firmly anchored in place. The completed structure is then turned right side up, taken'to the cemetery and set in a pit so that the cover 12 extends above the surface of the ground to allow an unobstructed passage for the grooves 12.

It is obvious therefore that we have described an improved weather-resistant headstone cover formed of a modern chemical resistant material. By providing a cover that can be easily molded from plastics of any desirable color, we have described a means for sharply setting off the inscribed marker tablet. It is further apparent that the improved cover can be readily joined with the tablet and the base to provide a rigid structure wherein the tablet anchor bolts are not susceptible to loosening due to the accumulation and freezing of water.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of this invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A composite cover and mold for a cemetery grave base including in combination,

(a) a marker tablet,

(b) a molded enclosure receiving said marker tablet formed of a resinous plastic material having a body of unitary construction closely fitting the exposed peripheral surface of the grave base,

(0) said enclosure having a recessed central tablet receiving portion bounded by a peripheral edge portion,

(d) said edge portion being generally trough-shaped in cross-section having its outer sides extending downwardly to the plane of the lower horizontal surface of the grave base,

(e) said trough-shaped edge having its inner sides inclined toward said tablet and extending downwardly an amount substantially equal to the thickness of said tablet, said inner sides terminating in a horizontal ledge defining a central opening,

(if) said marker tablet being shaped to overlap said horizontal flanges an amount such that said tablet is sealingly supported thereon and (g) said tablet having stud means extending through the opening and embedded in the base such that said tablet fixably retains said enclosure on the base.

2. The composite cover as defined in claim 1, wherein open channel means are defined between the outer edges of said tablet and said inner sides of said enclosure extending from the tablet recess to the outer sides of said edge portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,966,922 7/1934 Coleman 40124.5 2,593,468 4/1952 Marsh 40-1245 3,082,599 3/1963 Davis 40-1245 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. J. CONTRERAS, Examiner. 

